ROCK/POP GIGS
By David Sinclair

STEVIE WONDER

An ultra-rare visit from the soul-pop living legend.
Birmingham NIA, Manchester MEN Arena & London O2 Arena (www.seatwave.com 020-7307 9350), Sept 8-Oct 4

EMMYLOU HARRIS

The eerily ageless queen of country-folk returns to Britain to bathe in glowing reviews for her latest album, Intended to Be.
Touring nationwide (www.allgigs.co.uk, www.ents24.com), Sept 9-14

KATY PERRY

The pastor’s daughter from California arrives in Britain for dates that will be anything but low key.
Water Rats, London, WC1 (www.livenation.co.uk/katyperry), Sept 10; Scala, London, N1 (www.scala-london.co.uk), Sept 24

MADONNA

The Anglophile pop empress celebrates turning 50 with a little outdoor party for 70,000 of her closest friends.
Wembley Stadium, London (www.livenation.co.uk 0844 5765483), Sept 11

FOREVER HEAVENLY

Featuring the Magic Numbers, Beth Orton and a cameo appearance by the Manic Street Preachers.
Southbank Centre, London, SE1 (www.southbankcentre.co.uk 0871 6632500), Sept 12-14

END OF THE ROAD FESTIVAL

With Mercury Rev, Richard Hawley, Dirty Three, British Sea Power, Conor Oberst, Bon Iver, Calexico and more.
Larmer Tree Gardens, Tollard Royal, Wiltshire (www.endoftheroadfestival.com 01342 410665), Sept 12-14

SEASICK STEVE

The one-man blues band sets out on his biggest UK tour yet.
Touring nationwide (www.myspace.com/seasick steve), Oct 1-27

THE ELECTRIC PROMS

Highlights of the Beeb’s plugged-in jamboree, this year taking place in London and Liverpool, include the musician, composer and club DJ Nitin Sawhney unveiling songs from his new album London Undersound. And Alex Turner puts Monkey business on hold to showcase the Last Shadow Puppets with the Rascals frontman Miles Kane, playing deluxe retro-pop from their hit debut The Age of the Understatement.
Various venues London and Liverpool (www.bbc.co.uk/electricproms), Oct 21-26

AL GREEN

The velvet-voiced veteran blends stirring gospel with R&B.
Touring nationwide (www.seetickets.com 0871 2200260), Oct 28-Nov 6

FLEET FOXES

The Seattle band are the new pied pipers of American alt. folk-rock.
Touring nationwide (www.myspace.com/fleetfoxes), Oct 28-Nov 11

LIVE CLASSICAL
By Richard Morrison

BERLIN PHIL/RATTLE

Sir Simon conducts the Berlin Philharmonic in Wagner and Messiaen (Sept 4) and then the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic in Wagner, Sibelius and Brett Dean (Oct 2).
Philharmonic Hall, Hope Street, Liverpool (www.liverpoolphil.com 0151-709 3789)

CBSO/NELSONS

The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra has high hopes for its new conductor, Andris Nelsons. Two meaty Romantic programmes should display his talent well.
Symphony Hall, Centenary Square, Birmingham (www.thsh.co.uk 0121-780 3333), from Sept 17

HEIRS AND REBELS

The story of 20th-century British music from Elgar onwards, with Tippett, Britten, Walton and Vaughan Williams.
Barbican Hall, Silk Street, London EC2 (www.barbican.org.uk 0845 1207550), Sept 24-Oct 23

LES ARTS FLORISSANTS

The top French Baroque experts come to London with Rameau’s Les Indes Galantes. Prepare to be enchanted.
Barbican Hall, details above, Sept 24-Oct 23

KINGS PLACE

London’s new “creative centre” opens with 100 concerts in five days in its 420-seat auditorium and side spaces. The music ranges from chamber music to jazz.
Kings Place, York Way, London N1 (www.kingsplace.co.uk 0844 2640321), from Oct 1

RSNO/DENEVE

Cockups galore with the renovation of the Usher Hall mean that the Royal Scottish National Orchestra must play its Edinburgh concerts with Stéphane Denève in the acoustically dryas-dust Festival Theatre. Mahler’s Fifth should be an interesting experience!
Festival Theatre, Nicholson Street, Edinburgh (www.eft.co.uk 0131-529 6000), from Oct 1

NORTHERN SINFONIA

Tyneside’s excellent orchestra celebrates its half-century with a cycle of all Beethoven symphonies.
The Sage, St Mary’s Square, Gateshead (www.thesagegateshead.org 0191-443 4661), Oct 3-11

REVEALING TCHAIKOVSKY

What is left to reveal? With the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment playing period instruments, and Vladimir Jurowski conducting the LPO, the answer provided by this fortnight festival could be surprising.
Soutbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 (www.southbankcentre.co.uk 0871 6632500), from Oct 22

KLANG

A week-long South Bank festival paying homage to the avant-garde composer Karlheinz Stockhausen.
Southbank Centre, details above, Nov 1-8

PEKKO KUUSISTO

The extraordinary Finnish violinist, as mesmerising in Nordic folk tunes as in Bach, tours Scotland with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.
Various venues (www.scottishensemble.co.uk 0141-332 4747), Nov 17-23

— LEONARD COHEN

The 73-year-old crooner’s mammoth tour to replenish his depleted pension fund continues, incorporating three nights in Glasgow and two at London’s O2 Arena. He has been on the road since May, but as the man himself said in 2001: “I love to hear an old singer lay it out. And I’d like to be one of them.” Wise, witty, profound and unmissable.
Touring nationwide (www.leonardcohen.com, www.ticketmaster.co.uk), Nov 1-20

Explore Music

• CD Reviews

• Live Reviews

Editor's choice

• Guns N’Roses: Chinese Democracy
• The 50 Biggest Movies of 2009
• Quantum of Solace